Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-08-27
A JOYOUS GATHERING.
Harvest Festival at "a bon Homme
County Farni-The Seasons Wonder
ful Growth.

Harves Festival at q Bon H0mme
County Earnr-The seasons Wonder
ful Growth.
To the Press and DskotaiRn-It hGd
been published in the papers and from
the pulpit that the annual harvest home
feast would come off on the 18th inst. at
a. G. Abbot'e grove about two miles
north of the Bon Homme postoffice.
Through the kindness OF the editor of
the Frele Presse, Mr.. Solomon Wenzlaf,
we were offered q seat in his comfortable
carriage for the trip to the grove. The
sky was hidden by clouds when we rolled
out from Yankton, but we. hoped for
clear sky by midday. 1t grew darker,
rather than lighter. First a sprinkle,
then q rain then more rain. Oar route
lay through a perfect forest of sunaowers.
For o full iaalf mile we wound our way
through these rank yellow flowers brush
ing the carriage on either side for theee
rank stalks had claimed the soil to the
very ruts on both sides. The sight was
one OF the new things under the sun.
Arriving at the picnic grounds only o
few boys had put in az appearance. The
RAIN which begun here early IN the
morning had kept even the near neigh
bors at their homes.
The rain continued 10 fall apdthe peo-
pie continued to come. The cornet
band came in wet and cold. 1t rained
on yet the rain did not hinder the attend
ance of the Sprinield base ball olab.
This club hiss for its captain Rev. Father
Kelly, the Springfield Catholic priest.
As unpropitious ss were the skies yet as
many as q hundred persons were in at
tendance. OF these twenty we're from
Springfield and thirty from Tyndall.
The music was good. The weather did
sport. The entertainments sized up
was first class, tame chickens on honor
and "snipes or owls"
Rumor speaks Of an important arrest
of Sheriff Petrie for q grave charge and
of more and greater gravity to follow.
| We wait developments before the names
of the parties are given.
The past year makes many changes in
Bon Homme and vicinity. The roads are
fast going to the section lines. Bridges
span the brooks and gorges. Herding
is fast becoming q thing OF the past.
The trees have had o marvellous growth
during the season. 1t puts on the attire
OF q timbered country. New bqpses,
new barn enlargement on all hands. 1t
rs q problem which the near future will
have to solve to know how to store the
incoming crop. Mr.. A. /. Abbott has
q hundred acres of splendid corn
which will yield Oh a moderate calcula-
tion fifty bushels to the acre. Mr.. Henry
Cooley has $50 acres of corn. Others have
from 25 to 80 acres. Moro Stunning OF
pralIle sod has been done this season in
these parta than shy year since the
country has been settled. Most of the
farmers have begun to make wire fencing
There is an i%ncrease of this kind of fence
and will be more year by year until al
the farms are satisfactorily divided into
convenient lots.
Mr.. A. l.. Abbott gives me the follow.
ing items: Has 10 miles OF barbed wire
fence, three wire in height which
gives 80 miles in length for a single wire
Saw 80 steers and s heifers all bioodec
stock in one of his pastures containing
800 acres. Visited the brick yard latel.
opened by Mr.. Thomas Cole on his owl
farm. The clay was discovered in sink
ing q we'll. The strata OF clay already
measures % feet and the bottom Is no
yet reached. A specimen MIR. Cole tell
me was sent to the New York Sun ofic
to put into competent hands to examine
which was done and the report wa
returned that it wss the best quality c
clay for thing, potter's ware and brick
Tie second kiln has been burnt and tn
brick pronounced good. Brought ava,
, o specimen brick from the kiln.
It was decided TO have anothe
, !, harvest feast next Tuesday, Aug. 81
because OF the rain yesterday.
D. B. N.
- i.